Elpasolite
A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
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About Elpasolite
Formula:
K2NaAlF6
Colour:
Colourless
Lustre:
Sub-Vitreous, Greasy
Hardness:
2½
Specific Gravity:
2.995
Crystal System:
Isometric
Member of:
Name:
First described and named by Cross and Hillebrand (1883,1885) from quartz riebeckite microcline pegmatites at St.Peter’s Dome, El Paso County, Colorado, USA. Named for the type locality (El Paso County).
This page provides mineralogical data about Elpasolite.
Unique Identifiers
Mindat ID:
1369
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:1369:3
GUID
(UUID V4):
(UUID V4):
2d80a79f-97c5-4dc2-bcc5-14a7f9d3f879
IMA Classification of Elpasolite
Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
First published:
1883
Classification of Elpasolite
3.CB.15
3 : HALIDES
C : Complex halides
B : Neso-aluminofluorides
3 : HALIDES
C : Complex halides
B : Neso-aluminofluorides
11.6.2.1
11 : HALIDE COMPLEXES
6 : Aluminofluorides - Isolated Octahedra
11 : HALIDE COMPLEXES
6 : Aluminofluorides - Isolated Octahedra
8.6.7
8 : Halides - Fluorides, Chlorides, Bromides and Iodides; also Fluoborates and Fluosilicates
6 : Halides of Al
8 : Halides - Fluorides, Chlorides, Bromides and Iodides; also Fluoborates and Fluosilicates
6 : Halides of Al
Mineral Symbols
As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.
Symbol | Source | Reference |
---|---|---|
Elp | IMA–CNMNC | Warr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43 |
Physical Properties of Elpasolite
Sub-Vitreous, Greasy
Transparency:
Transparent, Translucent
Colour:
Colourless
Streak:
White
Hardness:
2½ on Mohs scale
Cleavage:
None Observed
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven
Density:
2.995 g/cm3 (Measured) 3.015 g/cm3 (Calculated)
Chemistry of Elpasolite
Mindat Formula:
K2NaAlF6
Elements listed:
Crystallography of Elpasolite
Crystal System:
Isometric
Class (H-M):
m3 (2/m 3) - Diploidal
Space Group:
Pa3
Cell Parameters:
a = 8.12 Å
Unit Cell V:
535.39 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Morphology:
Indistinct crystals at times with indistinct octahedral and cubic faces. Massive. Artificial crystals are cubo-octahedral.
Crystal Structure
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Data courtesy of the American Mineralogist Crystal Structure Database. Click on an AMCSD ID to view structure
ID | Species | Reference | Link | Year | Locality | Pressure (GPa) | Temp (K) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0017967 | Elpasolite | Menzer G (1932) Ueber die Kristallstrukturen der Kryolithgruppe _cod_database_code 1011068 Fortschritte der Mineralogie 17 61-61 | 1932 | 0 | 293 | ||
0014819 | Elpasolite | Sabelli C (1987) Structure refinement of elpasolite from Cetine mine, Tuscany, Italy Neues Jahrbuch fur Mineralogie, Monatshefte 1987 481-487 | 1987 | Cetine mine, Tuscany, Italy | 0 | 293 |
CIF Raw Data - click here to close
X-Ray Powder Diffraction
Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacing | Intensity |
---|---|
2.863 Å | (100) |
2.024 Å | (100) |
2.336 Å | (80) |
1.428 Å | (60) |
0.795 Å | (60) |
0.905 Å | (50) |
1.650 Å | (40) |
Comments:
Pikes Peak, Colorado, USA. Data from Frondel (1948).
Geological Environment
Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic Mode | Earliest Age (Ga) |
---|---|
Near-surface Processes | |
22 : Hydration and low-𝑇 subsurface aqueous alteration (see also #23) |
Type Occurrence of Elpasolite
General Appearance of Type Material:
Compact irregular masses, colorless but not perfectly clear, with sparing traces of crystalline form. Rare small rounded crystal-like projections.
Place of Conservation of Type Material:
National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA, numbers 162621, 83302.
Geological Setting of Type Material:
Lining solution cavities in pachnolite in a cryolite-bearing pegmatite.
Associated Minerals at Type Locality:
Other Language Names for Elpasolite
Relationship of Elpasolite to other Species
Common Associates
Associated Minerals Based on Photo Data:
5 photos of Elpasolite associated with Amazonite | K(AlSi3O8) |
5 photos of Elpasolite associated with Cryolite | Na2NaAlF6 |
3 photos of Elpasolite associated with Sulphur | S8 |
3 photos of Elpasolite associated with Gypsum | CaSO4 · 2H2O |
2 photos of Elpasolite associated with Fluorite | CaF2 |
2 photos of Elpasolite associated with Weberite | Na2Mg[AlF6]F |
2 photos of Elpasolite associated with Prosopite | CaAl2F4[(OH)4-xFx] |
2 photos of Elpasolite associated with Gearksutite | Ca[Al(F,OH)5(H2O)] |
1 photo of Elpasolite associated with Chiolite | Na5Al3F14 |
1 photo of Elpasolite associated with Fluoro-arfvedsonite | [Na][Na2][Fe2+4Fe3+]Si8O22F2 |
Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat Grouping
3.CB.05 | Cryolithionite | Na3Al2(LiF4)3 |
3.CB.15 | Cryolite | Na2NaAlF6 |
3.CB.15 | Simmonsite | Na2LiAlF6 |
3.CB.20 | Colquiriite | CaLi[AlF6] |
3.CB.25 | Weberite | Na2Mg[AlF6]F |
3.CB.25 | Leonardsenite | MgAlF5 · 2H2O |
3.CB.30 | Karasugite | SrCa[Al(F,OH)7] |
3.CB.35 | Usovite | Ba2CaMgAl2F14 |
3.CB.40 | Pachnolite | NaCa[AlF6] · H2O |
3.CB.40 | Thomsenolite | NaCa[AlF6] · H2O |
3.CB.45 | Carlhintzeite | Ca2[AlF6]F · H2O |
3.CB.50 | Yaroslavite | Ca3Al2F10(OH)2 · H2O |
3.CB.55 | Sbacchiite | Ca2AlF7 |
3.CB.60 | Verneite | Na2Ca3Al2F14 |
Fluorescence of Elpasolite
May fluoresce in SW medium blue with a violet tinge.
Other Information
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Internet Links for Elpasolite
mindat.org URL:
https://www.mindat.org/min-1369.html
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References for Elpasolite
Localities for Elpasolite
Locality List
- This locality has map coordinates listed.
- This locality has estimated coordinates.
ⓘ - Click for references and further information on this occurrence.
? - Indicates mineral may be doubtful at this locality.
- Good crystals or important locality for species.
- World class for species or very significant.
(TL) - Type Locality for a valid mineral species.
(FRL) - First Recorded Locality for everything else (eg varieties).
Struck out - Mineral was erroneously reported from this locality.
Faded * - Never found at this locality but inferred to have existed at some point in the past (e.g. from pseudomorphs).
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
All localities listed without proper references should be considered as questionable.
Antarctica | |
| Kammerer (2011) |
Czech Republic | |
| Dalibor Matýsek |
DR Congo | |
| Bailey |
Greenland | |
| Petersen et al. (1993) |
Italy | |
| Balassone et al. (2019) |
| Sabelli C. (1987 ) +1 other reference |
Russia | |
| Galina Gubko (2009) |
Polyakov (1985) | |
| Pekov et al. (2008) |
| Pakhomovsky et al. (2014) |
Pekov et al. (2008) | |
| Victor V. Sharygin analytycal data (2013) +2 other references |
Ukraine | |
| Bailey +1 other reference |
| Bailey +2 other references |
USA (TL) | |
| Cross et al. (1883) +1 other reference |
Gross et al. (1966) | |
| Eckel et al. (1997) |
| Foord et al. (1999) |
| O'Neill (2014) |
| Kearns (1995) +1 other reference |
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Le Cetine di Cotorniano Mine, Chiusdino, Siena Province, Tuscany, Italy